Indicator



June 21, 1932. G. A. COMBRIDGE INDICATOR Filed Sept. 10. 1950 I N V ENTOR. 650 6/4. @vzfizu? e,

R Q A TTORNE'Y.

Patented June 21, 1932 UNITED STATES GEORGE A. COMBRIDGE, or LOSAntennas, CALIFORNIA INDICATOR Application filed September 10, 1930.Serial No. 480,875.

This invention is an indicator adapted for use in a public conveyancesuch as a street car traveling a predetermined route, and has for itsobject to successively display. for the information ofpassengersthenames of the various stops along the route.

More particularly it isth-e object of the invention to provide thenamesof the various stops on a movable sign element, and to shift the signelement step-by-step as the successive stops are approached, in orderthat the passengers may be advised as to the next stop of the vehicle.

It is a further object of the invention to provide simplified meansfor'moving the sign element step-by-step, and to provide a remotecontrol for the actuating mechanism, with said remote control readilyaccessible to the operator of the vehicle.

It is a still further object of the invention to initiate movement ofthe sign element by manual operation of the remote control, and toautomatically stop said movement of the sign element when it has beenshifted sufa ficiently to displaythe name ofthe next succeeding stop,thereby insuring the desired step-by-step movement of the displaymechanism without requiring accurate manual control by the operator.

Further objects of the-invention will be readily understood from thefollowing clescription of the accompanying drawing which illustrates themechanism in somewhat diagrammatic form, and in which: 7

Fig. 1 is a transverse section through a public conveyance such as astreet car and illustrating one practical embodiment of the invention.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are detail-sections on the lines 22, 33 and 4-4respectively of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail section through the manual control for the mechanism.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in a publicconveyance such as astreet car A,

and may comprise a casing 1 having a'sight opening 2 for successivelydisplaying the names of the stops along the route of the car, the namesof the stops being provided at 3 on a tape at which is adapted forstepeby-step movement past the sight opening, withthe casing 1 s0mounted-in car A that the sight opening is conveniently. visible to thepassengers.

The tape 4 maybe wound on rollers 5, and is preferably shifted forsuccessively displaying the names 3 at the sight opening 2, by means ofsprockets 6 which are mounted on a shaft 7 and Which are adapted toengage. notched edges 8 of the tape, it being understood that theroller5 which is-winding up the tape as it is unwound from the other roller,is adapted to be driven by anyusual driving connection (not shown), suchas ordinari- I ly employed in this art. The shaft 7 is pref-v erablyrotated by a drive mechanism which is started by a manual control, andafter pre determined rotation of the shaft. such as is just sufficientto move the tape. 4 so as to display the next succeeding name 3, the

drive mechanism is preferably automatically stopped so as to insure justthe desired stepby-step movement of the sign element."

As an instance of this arrangement the shaft 7 may be driven byanelectric motor 10, preferably through suitable gearing 1112, and anelectric circuit 13 for the motor-may be closed by a manually operatedswitch 14 which is positioned convenient to thefop erator of theconveyance in which the indicator is installed. Closing the switch 14thus I initiates rotation of shaft 7, and an auxiliary switch 15 thenautomatically:closesa shunt circuit 13a for'the motor, and 'at' the sametimethe'switch His automatically opened so I that rotation of shaft 7-is continued under control of the switch 15, and this switch isautomatically opened after such predeter mined rotation of the shaftasiwill shift the tape 4 so as to aline the next succeeding name 3 withthe sight opening 2.

As shown at Fig. 5 the switch 14 may comprise a pivoted lever 16 and aspring-projected pin 17 carrying cooperating contacts 18-19, with theproximate ends of the lever and pin tapered as shown at 20-21 so thatwhen the lever is swung in either direction the engagement of taperedends 2021 insures continued movement of the lever beyond dead center andto one or the other of the positions shown in full and broken lines inFig. 5. As the lever moves past dead center the contacts 1819 thusmomentarily engage and then immediately disengage, and consequentlymanual operation of switch 14 is adapted to make and then immediatelybreak the circuit 13, without requiring careful manipulation on the partof the operator and simply by flipping the lever 16 to one or the otherof the positions shown in Fig. 5.

As shown in Fig. 3 the auxiliary switch 15 may comprise a contact 22 anda disc 23 fixed on shaft7 with a pair of arcuate contact strips 24 onthe periphery of the disc and spaced apart at diametrically oppositeinsulated points 25, so that with the disc turned for alinement ofeither of the insulated points 25 with contact 22 the shunt circuit 13ais opened, and'rotation of disc 23 will engage contact 22 with one orthe other of strips 24 and thus close-circuit 13a for supplyingelectrical energy to motor 10 until the disc has been so turned as toaline the other insulated point 25 with the contact 22, upon the shuntcircuit is automatically opened and the m0- tive power is cut-off.

Means are preferably provided for positively stopping rotation of disc23 immediately upon breaking the motor circuit 13a so as to insure exactalinement of contact 22 with one or the other'of the insulated points25, and for this purpose and as shown in Fig. 4 a disc 26 may be fixedon shaft 7, with one or the other of diametrically opposite recesses 27in the periphery of the disc adapted for engagement by a locking pin 28when the mechanism is at rest. The pin 28 is retracted when the motor 10is started, thereby releasing the disc 26 for rotation of shaft 7, andas soon as the disengaged recess 27 is clear of pin 28 the pin isspring-projected so as to ride on the periphery of disc 26 and thus dropinto the diametrically opposite recess 27 for immediately stoppingrotation of shaft 7 when the motor circuit 13a is subsequently broken,The'pin 28 may be retracted by an electro-magnet 29 in circuit 13, themagnetbemg energized by closing switch 14 and thus retracting pin 28,andthemagnet being then immediately de-energized as a result of thepreviously described breaking of contact at switch 14so that the pin 28is again springprojected ready for its locking engagement.

WVith the mechanism in the position shown in the drawing the switches 14and 15 are open, thereby breaking circuits 13 and 13a so that motor 10is at rest with one of the names 3 of tape 4 displayed at sight opening2 and the shaft 7 locked against turning by pin 28. When the conveyancehas moved beyond the indicated stop and it is desired to advise thepassengers as to the next stop along the route, the operator flips theswitch lever 16 from its full to its broken line position as shown inFig. 5, thereby closing the circuit 13 which however is brokenmomentarily thereafter by the engagement of the tapered end surfaces oflever 16 and pin 17. The momentary closing of circuit 13 energizeselectro-magnet 29 for retracting pin 28 and also starts rotation ofshaft7 by the motor 10. Since disc 23 turns with shaft 7, one or the other ofstrips 2 1 will thus engage contact 22 so as to close thecircuit 13a andthus continue the supply of electrical energy to motor 10 after circuit18'is opened, and the rotation of shaft 7 is thus continued until themotor is stopped by the contact 22 alining with the diametricallyopposite insulated point 25, whereupon the pin 28 is spring-projectedinto engagement with the alined recess 27 for stopping the shaft 7 withthe parts in their normal position of rest, with the predeterminedrotaion of shaft 7 which is thus obtained having shifted the tape 4:just a sufficient distance to aline the next succeeding name 3 with thesight opening 2. The operation'may then be repeated to display the nextsucceeding name of tape 4, by simply flipping switch lever 16 in theopposite direction.

The mechanism may be adapted for reversal when the end of the route isreached, so as to successively display the names 3 in the reverse orderas the route of travel is retraced, it being simply necessary to reversethe direction of rotation of shaft 7, which may be accomplished in anywell known manner, as for example by employing a motor 10 of a typewhich is adapted for reversal at the will of the operator.

The invention thus provides for step-bystep movement of an indicatorcarrying predetermined signs adapted for successive display at a sightopening, with movement of the indicator initiated by operating a manualcontrol but automatically stopped when a predetermined shift has beenobtained, so as to insure exactly the desired step-by-step movementirrespective of careless handling of the manual control and withoutrequiring skillful manipulation thereof for stopping the mechanism atthe end of the predetermined movement.

I claim:

1. In combination a shiftable sign element, an electric motor forshifting the sign element, a main switch for starting the motor, saidswitch being adapted for continuing movement in the same direction afterthe switch is closed, with said continuing movement opening the switchmomently after its closing, an auxiliary switch controlling the motorand adapted to be closed by initial rotation of the motor so as tocontinue rotation of the motor after the main switch is opened, andmeans for opening the auxiliary switch for stopping the motor afterpredetermined shifting of the sign element.

2. In combination a shiftable sign element, an electric motor forshifting the sign element, a main switch for starting the motor, saidswitch being adapted for continuing movement in the same direction afterthe switch is closed, with said continuing movement opening the switchmomently after its closing, an auxiliary switch controlling the motorand adapted to be closed by initial rotation of the motor so as tocontinue rotation of the motor after the main switch is opened, meansfor opening the auxiliary switch for stopping the motor afterpredetermined shifting of the sign element, and means for releasablysecuring the sign element against shifting when the motor is stopped.

3. In combination a shiftable sign element,

an electric motor for shifting the sign element, a main switch forstarting the motor, said switch being adapted for continuing movement inthe same direction after the switch is closed, with said continuingmovement opening the switch momently after its closing, an auxiliaryswitch controlling the motor and adapted to be closed by initialrotation of the motor so as to continue rotation of the motor after themain switch is opened, means for opening the auxiliary switch forstopping the motor after predetermined shifting of the sign element,means for automatically securing the sign element against shifting whenthe motor is stopped, and a solenoid energized by the momentary closingof the main switch for releasing the securing means.

4. In combination, a sign element, a rotatable shaft adapted to shiftthe sign element, an electric motor for the shaft, a main switch forstarting the motor, said switch being adapted for continuing movement inthe same direction after the switch is closed, with said continuingmovement opening the switch momently after its closing, an auxiliaryswitch controlling the motor, said auxiliary switch comprising anelement fixed on the shaft and a cooperating stationary contact, theinitial rotation of said element with the shaft being adapted to closethe auxiliary switch for continuing rotation of the shaft after the mainswitch is opened, and the continued rotation of said element with theshaft being adapted to open the auxiliary switch after predeterminedshifting of the sign element, means for locking the shaft againstrotation, and a solenoid energized by closing the main switch, thesolenoid when energized releasing the locking means.

5. Control mechanism for a sign element which'is adapted for shifting byan electric motor having an auxiliary switch closed by initial rotationof the motor and opened after predetermined rotation thereof; thecontrol I

